Simple natural cleaning devices.

Hi there, 

the other day, when I have been exercising by scrubbing the bath tub I must have spilled a little of the bath cleaner on my paths and within seconds the cosy pants I have been wearing were damaged. The spot where the cleaner dropped onto was bleached within seconds. My partners favourite cosy pants, which he bought in China and thus for him was like a souvenir was ruined and he was not amused. This made me thinking, if the cleaner finds his way that quickly through a pair of pants, what would it do if it touches my skin, and to the fish in the sea, where it will end up eventually?

So while I have been looking for alternative products, I came across baking soda, vinegar and lemon! In my opinion, these natural ingredients work well for common household cleaning situations. They kill bacteria,leaving a clean, sparkling surface and you do not have to deal with the artificial smell anymore.

While baking soda makes a great scrub for situations where an abrasive cleaner is needed, the combination of baking soda and vinegar is great for a drain cleaner (just let it sit for 15min before flusing). Vinegar by itself works wonders for glass surfaces. But for me the best discovery has been to apply lemon. Since I do like to use lemon for cooking and to give my hot or cold water a little bit of a extra twist, there is quite some squeezed out lemon leftover. So far, it always went to the composter, but now I am applying it on my kitchen and bath surfaces first! You can use the inside of the squeezed out lemon as well as the outside for a little more persistent spots. Just let the rubbed lemon sit for a minute or two, and wash it away with water. It has a descaling effect, which is a blessing for such hard water as we have here, and leaves a clean, germ-free, sparkling surface that also smells really nice!

Process.

For a while now I am trying to organise, declutter and reduce my lifestyle. I say lifestyle,
because it is not just (but mostly) my belongings, which I am trying to reduce to only the
necessary ones, but also my behaviour, thoughts and life itself.

Things:
My idea is to come out with less, reduce waste, chuck and enjoy the few little things you
own even more, since the distraction by owning too many things is gone.

You do not necessary need to have a lot of money in order to pile up a lot of things, which
in fact you do not really need but ones thought there are a cool/fun/cute thing to have, and
so you treated yourself for that. Sometimes we receive these things as a present and do not
want to be disrespectful, thus keeping them even though we do not really have any need for
them. Other times, you discover that for many years you have stored something neatly away
but totally forgot about it until you happen to rediscover. And here it is: a big box of things
once dear to you but then out of side and forgotten so that now, a couple of years later, you
do not really have any use for them anymore. Whatever it is, most people do find themselves
owning so many things - it would take them days or weeks to display all of them for the
photographer Peter Menzel who has taken pictures of families and their belongings around
the world (https://www.pinterest.com/pin/112027109456180155/).

Behaviour:
However, once you are hooked by the thought of reducing and de-owning, I found that it is
easy to extend this idea further: do you really need to order the big portion you never manage
to finish? Is it possible to take the leftover with you, which makes for a nice lunch the next
day? Does that coffee has to be taken with you in a take-away-cup or can you probably just
stay a couple of minutes longer and enjoy it in a nice coffee mug instead? Or take the idea
even further: the cafe around the corner might be fine to pour your cappuccino in your travel
mug instead if you ask them nicely.

Life:
Also, probably many of you share the need to do a lot of great things in life! Hell yeah!
After all, we live only once and want to make the most of it, right? Travel to great places,
eat delicious food, meet fun and inspiring people. Often, there are so many options and you
find yourself overwhelmed, not sure for what idea to go for or whom to meet this evening,
since you might be missing out on all the other options. I am experiencing that we are trying
to keep all options open. While there is nothing bad about flexibility, I do not like my free
time to also be stressful in any way - at least not by a too big amount of great options! Instead
I like to recharge my batteries, treat my body and soul nicely, and enjoy life at the fullest.
The concepts of "once at a time", "do not look back with regret" and "after all it is all about
great relationships with friends and family" work rather well for me at the moment.

Thoughts/Mindfulness:
I am having a hard time on this one. It is difficult to keep your thoughts clear, for me at least.
So I am practising mediation through yoga nowadays, which does a great job to calm the mind
for the moment. However, I am still searching for ideas to calm, order and clean the mind on a
long term basis. Well, change is always a process, isn't it? There are days of great success and
others of setbacks - but it is the process itself which I believe it the interesting part really! ;-)

Death-clothes.

The fact that clothes are offered for a bargain in stores of "the western world" are undeniable at the expense of the garment
workers has been recognised ever since the terrible accidents in Bangladesh have drawn attention at the latest. Still, many of
us find ourselves challenged to take these circumstances into consideration when we are shopping for clothes. On the one hand,
there is only a handful suppliers offering "fair clothing", which limits the range of products on offer by quite a bit. On the other
hand, we might have a restained budget that limits our choice of purchases.
The obvious choice would be to buy less, but better. However, this, too, is not possible for everybody.

So if you find ourself in a similar struggle, why not taking into account end-of-season-sales of the shops that incorporate social
and environmental concerns? It is a bit of a hassle but this way you can make sure to not compromise your values for clothing
and fashion.













After all, wouldn't you agree that it is much nicer to
have a clear wardrobe of good, high quality clothes
rather than a stuffed one of cheap "death clothes",
which does not allow you to keep track of what you
actually possess? The first scenario sounds much
more satisfying to me. 
















(picture:avenuelifestyle.com)

Background: starting with yourself

My wish for a transformation has started with my realising that the world is not perfect. There is unfairness,
suffering and the like we cannot turn a blind eye to. I am conviced that our happiness is directly linked and
thus dependent on the wellbeing of our surrounding, amongst other factors, i.e.
myhappiness = f (world's wellbeing)
It is thusly that we cannot fully ignore the bad practices around us, even if we wish to. Therefore, some of us
feel the urge of making the world a better place.

In order to contribute my share to the improvement of the existing structures, I engaged politically at first but
got discouraged seeing that we progessed rather slowly, before I decided to align my career towards to huge
topic of "sustainable development". With the proper degree from a reputable university at hand I came to
realise that still it is not quite that easy to get started, no matter how bad to want to be engaged. There are
not that many organisations out there who are in for true sustainability, even though there are a few that like
parts of the idea, nor are there many such jobs. So what I did is, I have started at the very smallest possible
entity for any change and improvements: I started with myself.

Nowadays, I think it is the only possible way to get started. If you want to change the world, start with yourself.
Try to live life to your own standards. It sounds easy while in fact it is challenging! Where you aware of how
high you have set your standards? Start with small steps applying your ideas and ideals to your everyday's
life. One after the other. The longer I think about it I came to realise an actually very simple truth: doctrine
is not guaranteed to be a longlasting approach, especially if people feel forced into any change. Exemplifying,
however, could be. That is, if people get impressed and hooked enough so that they want to try out, and
eventually even adopt, some of these ideas or practices themselves.

Happiness: There's no fate other than what we make for ourselves.

It has been pretty quiet around here. Please accept my apologies for that.*
Lately, I have found myself engaging more with those things I am really passioned about. It is basically:
good living, interiors and sustainability. I believe, those are the secret to -at least my- happiness.
You might have heard by now that "happiness comes by choice and not by chance". It is up to us and us
alone whether we find appreciation for our lives, what we are and what we do, and if not so it is also our
responsibility finding the strength to make changes accordingly.

I have started this process - a little unconsciously and a little deliberately - and I am going to share my
experiences for it is worth it if only one or two readers take inspiration from that.
So, if you are interested I am looking forward to keep you updated with inspirational mail!







*As I have mentioned before, last year I have put myself into a situation where I found myself drowning in
work for about a year now. It has been not easy for my mind and body and the people close to me. Fortunately,
I have made it through this challenging year, facing now challenges of another nature, but probably that is
just how life goes? Throwing situations at you in which you can explify how strong you are. But then again:





































So let's get the adventure started!

Merry Christmas!

Nature.

I love nature. Well, who doesn't, right?
For me, however, it is a really big part of my life. I believe, spending time outside in an untouched
environment is one of the best things to do to find inner peace. It is stunning how I at least always need a
few minutes to adapt, calm down and put all the thoughts and sorrows aside, while start watching how busy
life is out there. Even at the highest spots I have been, there were always some small insects or birds
fighting their way through. It is funny how it seems so much easier at first, but in fact, it always makes me
realize that this is, what it is really all about. Surviving, in the first place, and enjoying life at the fullest,
followed right after!

At the moment I am fighting a battle trying to be join an awesome trip through the artic north. Unfortunately,
I signed up late, so there is only one week left to compete with all the others. I do not really expect to win.
But a girl can dream, right? And if I make it, I will be fighting the cold and make it all the way through!

Any support would be highly appreciated!
http://www.fjallravenpolar.com/polar-2014/show-all-contributions/?uid=197579

Holes of Happiness.

I am riding the bike every day: to school, for run errands, for an afternoon coffee with a friend. It is the only
transportation I am using within the town and I do enjoy to be outside at least twice a day, no matter how
cold or wet it might be.

For my postgraduate studies I am living in a town now which has streets like this:

The potholes make it more of a challenge to get save to the place you want to go. So when I found out about
the pothole gardener I felt I had to share this video, just because I think it is a sweet idea.

Wrong choices.

Sometimes I find it hard to keep on track in order to follow my overall goal. With the current economic
circumstances a good university degree gets more important than ever. At the moment, however, it does not
feel good at all, but way too much.

Where is my umbrella to cover me? Is it good to make your decisions only in the hope of reaching your overall
goal at some point? Shouldn't be the way towards it feel right, too? Somewhere, deep buried,
I still think every experience will be of importance, and if only to find out what is not good
for you. May the following saying be right. Let's stay strong and hope for the best.

Studying.

I started my postgraduate studies in Scotland. Learning how to fit in into a new culture, paired with a great 

landscape and one of UK's best universities sounded good to me. Now I find myself more busy than ever.

What about all the journeys to the highlands I pictured? How about all the afternoons I hoped spending at the 

seaside? Alright, sometimes we just have to get things done, putting all the pleasure activities aside but at 

the same time it is absolutely necessary to take a break once a while and to reward yourself with a little 

something to be able to keep up. Let me remind you to treat yourself to something special. Why not today?

Happy Pre-Halloween!

Graduated!

I just received my certificates and finished college for good!
How great is that? Now it's..

Tea.

It is healthier choice. Maybe it is not always the best, for everybody, but it is for me. Is there something
else as a nice, freshly made cup of tea just for you if you feel blue?

The special feature is the ceremony: picking out the leaves, boiling the water, filling up the cup,
watching the water slowly changing its color and the flavor spreading across the room. You cannot get
that from coffee. When the tea has finally cooled down you feel the hot liquid running down the throat
right into the stomach, where it develops a gentle heating up process. Alright - this, coffee serves, too.

Anyway, these days have been unusual cold and rainy. We are all awaiting summer, and I am forcing it
to finally come by banning all the warm clothes. Thus the tea is a must to keep me warm. What are your
strategies to deal with this situation?

Worrying.

Wow, guys, can you believe it? It is almost two months since the last blog entry. And still
the blog statistic shows there are some wonderful people stopping by, even though I have
not published anything for such a long period. Thank you so much. That really keeps me
going!
And in fact there is a reason for my absence. I am in the midst of writing my thesis and
the due date is coming close. With that the questioning has started, too: What is next?
What will be once I graduaded? Where do I see myself working afterwards? Setting high
standards to both myself and my environment there are tons of requirements I would
love a future working environment to be like. On the other hand, would it not be better
to continue with my academic career subsequently?
All the questioning and researching did not made it easier. Life is full of opportunities,
in case you haven't noticed. Me, however, I ended up worrying. Worrying and at the
same time driving all my beloved ones I asked for advice almost crazy.

Things rarely turn out the way you expect. Would it not be better to just take things as
they come? If a decision cannot be made right away, why forcing it? Why do we put such
a pressure on ourself that we would never put on somebody else?

I am not sure what is the best decision making strategy. But I learned one thing:







































True that.
The challenge now is to apply.

Boxes all over.

And again I am packing.. how often have I done this these last couple of years? Oh yeah, it the 12th time
within the last 5 years. Well, let's say, I am not one of the steady ones. Lately, things seem to turn boring
more easily ever after. Have you ever happen to experience such an attitude on yourself?
However, I hope you excuse my absence lately as I have already cancelled my Internet contract and actually
start to enjoy the quiet evenings.

With I am filling my brand new boxes, the shelves getting empty and nostalgia sneaking up, I am replacing
my tea with the last bottle of wine I was saving for a special occasion. À votre santé!

Spare time.

People act different in their spare time. We walk slowier, enjoying the weather, the architecture and nature
they are surrounded by, and are more thoughtful in general. This is what I observed in the people, especially
the tourists, by living in the oldtown in Heidelberg.
I like putting aside the busy attiude for once, giving the little things more attention. That is probably why I
always did enjoy my student side jobs in the cinema or a pub way more than the office jobs with greater
regard to my current studies. So I decided to do more of what makes me happy and waiter in a beautiful small
Italian café.

What makes you happy? Are you trying to fulfill somebody else's expectations? Do you spend enough time doing
what you like best?
Like this:

Wish you all a lucky, healthy and prosperous Chinese New Year!

Freshen up home.

I got myself a bunch of flowers! There are so beautiful, didn't cost a lot but make me smile about 193 times a
day.
These days I am packed with work that need to get done. Thus the pink beautys went right on my desk. They
peek over my screen, spread the sweet-fresh scent across the room and during every break I notice the
blossoms have opened a little further.
Especially during winter time, when Christmas has passed and one is ready for milder climate to come I like
to bring a whiff of spring in my home. How about you?

Sewing.

I love my sewing machine! Do you, too? Especially during the cold season when one does spend so much more time inside I like
to put it out and sew the hell away. A small person like me has so many clothes to adjust, and I never really get the chance to do
it. However, once I built it up I don't stop until everything is tight and nice again.
Trying to live a sustainable life that sewing machine actually is a great help. If something breaks it can be fixed it instead of
purchasing a new item. Or clothes I don't wear anymore I store for giving them another purpose by transforming them into
something new, like gloves I made out of an old scarf. It is very satisfying being able to repair things on your own and to create
something in general. I am very grateful my mom introduced me to her hobby. Even if you do not like to sew or don't have a
sewing machine, the spirit of giving not longer used item a new purpose is something one can transform on many things.

Lactose intolerance.

Just recently I discovered my body doesn't get along well with milk, so it is going to be cut from now on. As it
is a popular staple food in western countries it is not as easy to substitute. I tried to replace it with soy milk
first. Many people consume soy milk nowadays, right? It doesn't work for me though, at the very least not with
the morning oats. Gradually you can get used to a lot of things. Well, I won't get too close with this one, I
suppose. Then of course there is the lactose-free milk. Have you tried it? It also does taste different: sweet in
a way, I would say. So it works with a lot of things, like (rice) pudding, mhhh. Yet I don't like my coffee to
taste sweet.
There are so many people out there in the world who would be happy by having any of these, to survive! Me,
however, I am picky with what suites me most. Sometimes I cannot believe how crazy the world actually is,
and how I am part of it. It is so easy to narrow on our own small problems without thinking about the even
bigger ones. Once in a while it might be good to remind oneself about that.
In relation to these I can and shall be lucky to have access to clean water and drink (black) tea instead. It is
the healthier choice anyway.